Fiction is a popular genre for children’s books. Kids are imaginative and constantly curious about everything, and books are one of the best ways to feed their imagination and calm their curious mind. Also, parents are always looking for new ways to keep children busy or help them learn new things, and books are the ideal option.

You might think that writing a children’s story book is easy.

But, it is probably one of the hardest things to accomplish. Children are a tough crowd. Not easily pleased and very easily distracted.

So, if you are going to write a book that children simply cannot put down, you need to follow these tips.

• Decide on a specific target audience for your book

The term ‘kids’ ranges from 1 year olds to 14 years and up.

But, you cannot expect a 1-year child to enjoy the same level of complexity as a kid aged 5 or 6. Also, by the time kids are 8 and up, they develop an acute urge to learn new things. When they’re 14-years and more, they begin to read more complicated texts and are interested in stories that have a depth.

The words you choose, the plot, theme and characters – everything depends on your target audience.

May sound like a lot of work, but you have to study the phases of learning that children go through to find your target audience.

• Be at your creative best when writing a children’s book

Kids are curious. They are not driven by genre, but pick up a book that drives their imagination wild. This is why The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis is still in demand and even got made into a film – The Chronicles of Narnia.

Do you want more examples? There’s Harry Potter, Beauty and the Beast, Black Beauty and more.

What all of these books have in common is creativity. All of them are fueling the imagination of children and taking them to the edge of their seats.

So, put on your thinking cap and be as creative as you possibly can!

• Educational elements are welcome, but don’t be to preachy

Children (even adults) don’t like to be preached. Kids have an innate ability to spot a moral lesson immediately.

Yes, you can try to teach kids about something important in life, but the tone of your texts should not be such that you’re teaching them.

You can write about ordinary life experiences and put an imaginative twist to it to make it palatable for the children. Basically, even if there is a lesson somewhere, children should have fun while finding that out.

• Think about how the text will sound when it is read out aloud

Typically, children below the age of 7 or 8 like to listen to stories rather than reading it themselves. The book is usually read by a parent.

So, frame sentences in a way that flow well together and has a rhythm to it when read aloud.

Impressing kids is a tough job. You will hugely benefit by observing kids belonging to different age groups before you start writing a children’s book. All the best!

Need any help publishing your book? Orange Publishers is a phone call away!